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Re: Carmen's comments on anecdotes
Carmen wrote:
"Unless we're making a move to a peer-reviewed journal, can we drop all of
the anecdotal vs. scientific talk? I only have one tank. I therefore
cannot do any controlled study on PO4 limitation, H2O2 algae inhibition,
PMDD vs. Dupla products, blah, blah, blah. I doubt anyone here is
contemplating doing anything approaching a scientific study when trying
something new on their tanks. Yet I still LOVE to read about their
observations."
This isn't MY list, and it isn't a peer review journal, but it DOES have
some REAL experts subscribed to it. Everyone is welcome, both as a lurker
and as a poster. We can ALL learn from the posts to the APD.
I am not (re-read my posts) trying to inhibit anecdotal reports.... I am
trying to increase sound scientific thinking and experimentation. You only
have one tank - I have over a dozen. I'm not raining on your involvement in
the hobby - don't rain on mine.
But if you want me (or any number of other experienced aquarists) to stop
advocating a scientific approach to aquarium keeping, then you might want to
just skip any future posts I might make. If you want wild speculation,
unsubstantiated claims, anecdotal comments up to your eyebrows, try the
USENET newsgroups. The APD tends to be a bit more serious.
I don't have a slew of initials after my name (none that are appropriate in
this forum anyway) but I have been at this a long time. And I have learned
the value of properly posed questions and reasoned responses. I also know
the value of practical research conducted by amateurs and if you would care
to dig thru the archives, you will find that a number of people here
regularly conduct and report upon interesting experiements that they
conduct. All of which help us all to become better aquarists.
If any of this is either too intense or too indepth for your interest in the
hobby, just skip over those posts. But please don't tell us to increase the
"fluff factor" just because you find it hard to follow or it doesn't match
your interest level.
James Purchase
Toronto